The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-09-22
TWO MEALS PER DAY.
Effects of Overworkins the stomach
benefits of Occasional Fasting.


benefits of Occasional Fasting.
Now, say that breakfast time is z
o'clock. 1t takes full hour afterward
before it is safe to interfere with the
nervous energy essential to digestion.
By 10 o'clock a healthy person ought
to be in good condition for work. At
about II o'clock the air out of doors
reaches the highest point of purity, or,
in other words, the oxygen in the at
mosphere is approaching the maximum.
1t continues in this state Until l O clock
p. m. The electricity following the
sun is then at its height
So we have at midday the inner and
outer conditions for the greatest brain
and bodily power. To interrupt work
at such time is a mistake which the
Anglo-Saxton race does not realize,
because it has inherited the custom of
stopping to take provisions between -
and O clock in the day.
All kinds of mental and physical
work proceed by better sustained at
tention. The difference between an
Isaac Newton and an ordinary mortal
is shown in the case with which the
occupation of the day is thrown aside
in order to do what is described as
'.fortifying the inner man." Newton
could concentrate his M nd upon a sub
ject SO as to be obivious of all else, in
cluding eating AMI sleeping. for twen-
ty-four hours. l think there is an ap.
propriateness i'll comparing the too
frequently loaded human stomach to
an engine which is all fired and work
ing splendidly when the fire is bur ed
under new Goals and the steam cooled
down by deluge of water. am con-
vinced that there ought to be an inter-
val of at least seven hours between the
two meals of the day. If there must
| be brief rest from labor at noon it
will be found healthier to do anyth NC
else than eat and drink.
| Nature is quicker to forgive the mis-
take of sleeping, bathing. or walking
too much than the fault of depressing
the whole man with an unnecessary
load of food. The theory that the
stomach demands something to sustain
it after few hours from the last time
it took food is as wild as that horse
should be put to work in very little
while after it has had hard service.
The stomach is not dependent upon
work for its health, except as, of course,
it and the whole body must have the
blood made from its digested food; but
| this blood does not need replenshing
so often as is supposed, considering
that it remains in the system and con-
tinues an endless circuit.
Disease is occasoned by the over
fatigue of the digestive system. just as
overwork kills the horse. Many per-
sons of mature judgment obtain relief
from bodily troubles by fasts of three
| days. I have often tried this expert
ment, and have always found that the
stomach gains in tone. have even
done the seven-day fast, studying and
work ng the whole time, and believe
it did me good.
Fasting for long periods has 20 be
done intelligently or it may do more
harm than good. can fully appreci-
rte the danger of advising any partic-
ular course of action outside the line
beyond which everyday people should
60; but there is good ground for advis-
ing them to become accustomed to two
meals.
When Christ sat at the we'll in Sa-
maria waiting for his cold victuals it
was o'clock P. NJ, Roman reckoning.
He is never mentioned as having eaten
at noon. The eating habits of His dis
ciples were the same. The only ex-
ception to the general record was St.
Peter, who is said to have eaten a noon
meal on the roaf at Joppa; but, judg-
ing from what appears elsewhere con-
cerning him. believe he was then
only breaking his fast for the day.
The Chinese habit of eating only
twice day is confined to those who do
not work in the fields. The latter
mentioned class eat three times.
To break off the habit of eating the
noon meal it only requires about four
days persistent fasting. After that the
craving for food will become more and
more moderate and ultimately disap-
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